Even-number years have two major van shows in Europe – the CV Show that takes place at the Birmingham NEC every year, and the IAA Commercial Vehicles Show that takes place in Hannover, Germany, every other year.
In 2020 both have now been cancelled because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Is this a surprise?
The UK CV Show is always scheduled for the end of April or the beginning of May, so it was no great surprise when the cancelation of the 2020 event was announced back in March.
However, the IAA Commercial Vehicles Show takes place in the autumn – in 2020 it was scheduled for the 24-30 September. Writing in May 2020, that’s several months in the future, yet the organisers clearly feel that there is no realistic way that the exhibition will be able to take place this year.
Statement from the organisers of the 2020 IAA Commercial Vehicles Show
Here’s the official statement about the cancellation of the 2020 IAA Commercial Vehicles Show:
Numerous travel restrictions, large events prohibited – Due to the Covid-19 pandemic the IAA 2020 in its usual form is no longer possible.
The IAA Commercial Vehicles is the world’s leading platform for transport, logistics and mobility. As a global meeting place for experts and decision-makers from the entire transport and logistics sector, its strength is its international range of both exhibitors and visitors. Direct personal contacts are at the heart of the show.
The health risks of the Covid-19 pandemic and the measures taken to contain it have fundamentally changed the backdrop for the IAA Commercial Vehicles. The Covid-19 pandemic has indeed shown the general public very clearly just how essential commercial vehicles are for maintaining public food supplies, but it is having an unprecedented impact on business in the sector and also the IAA.
Many countries have travel restrictions that will remain in force for several months to come. Large events have been prohibited over the coming months in nearly all European countries. Given the situation with the corona pandemic, face-to-face meetings can no longer be held at a trade fair and particularly at the IAA.
Against this background, the VDA has decided to cancel the IAA Commercial Vehicles 2020 that was to be held in Hannover from September 24 to 30. It was a difficult decision to make. Yet in view of the overall situation in Europe and around the world, we do not see any possibility of holding the IAA this year in its familiar form as a platform for exhibitors and visitors.
The VDA has already informed the many exhibitors who had registered for the IAA 2020 of the decision, along with all the service providers, Deutsche Messe AG, and all political and business partners. The exhibitors and service providers have been informed of the cancellation at this early stage in order to keep the economic consequences for the companies to a minimum. The next IAA Commercial Vehicles will take place in September 2022.
Were there going to be many big announcements at the show?
With the cancellation of the UK CV Show, several manufacturers had postponed news about new vans and pickups – many of them with the intention of showing the new products in Hannover instead.
Now that the IAA isn’t happening either, we can only assume that we’ll start to see the new vehicles appearing through the usual news channels – so keep an even closer eye on the Parkers Vans and Pickups news section, or sign-up for our newsletter and get the info delivered straight to your inbox.
Also read:
>> Coronavirus advice for van and pickup drivers
